Our Charlie Brown Thanksgiving!

When Steve got asked to go on a 2 1/2 week work trip to Edinburgh Indiana to give dental care to soldiers coming back from a deployment in Iraq we knew that it would be a "different" kind of Thanksgiving this year. His assignment would run from Nov. 16-Dec. 4th and he would see patients everyday (weekends included) starting at about 7 am and sometimes not ending till 8:30 pm. Luckily, I was able to come up here with him and stay at the hotel so at least we could be together. When Steve found out that he even had to work Thanksgiving Day we were both pretty bummed. We had looked forward to maybe being able to go home to California for the holiday and spend some time with family and friends, so this work assignment came as a disappointment, especially knowing he wouldn't even get Turkey Day off!

The morning of Thanksgiving came and Steve went off to work at the clinic. I hung around the hotel, feeling kind of weird because I wasn't near family or friends and it didn't really feel like Thanksgiving waking up in a hotel and all. When Steve came back from work we both talked to our families, which made us miss them even more-hearing about all their Thanksgiving festivities and traditions that we weren't able to be a part of. We were both feeling a little "un-festive" but we decided to go to the Thanksgiving dinner that was being put on for all the dentists working here, since they weren't able to be home for the holiday. The dinner was to be held in a small, somewhat bare room on post, at Camp Atterbury and to be honest we weren't expecting much more than catered cafeteria food and a dismal atmosphere. When we walked into the room where the dinner was to be served the Thanksgiving holiday really began for us! We saw that the tables had been decorated with tablecloths and vases with bright festive colored flowers and there were spice pumpkin candles adorning every table to give it a homey feel. When we went to where the food was being served that's when we saw it.....the spread of food that had been prepared with love for us! A group of volunteers had made everything homemade so that we could have a Thanksgiving dinner! There were green beans, yams, tons of juicy turkey, creamy mashed potatoes and gravy, rolls, many varieties of salads, stuffing, and more!! Then we saw the dessert table! Not only were there plenty of pumpkin, pecan and apple pies...there were also tons of specialty desserts-all homemade from their favorite family recipies! There were brownies, sugar cream cake, pumpkin spice rolls, lemon cake, and many more! As we sat down and started eating the volunteers that had made the dinner for us came around and were thanking all the dentists for all they were doing by helping the soldiers. They also wanted to make sure that we not only filled our plates with food to eat, but that we fill plates to take home for leftovers to eat for the remaining days while we are here, away from home. My heart was touched as I saw how these people had sacrificed their own Thanksgiving day with their families to serve us! They were so generous and loving we almost felt like we were surrounded by family. Just writing about it brings tears to my eyes. We thanked them over and over for all the time they spent cooking, setting up and serving us. One man even spent a whole evening peeling 25 pounds of potatoes so that we could have homemade mashed potatoes! The evening came to a close and a warm feeling filled our hearts. As we drove back to the hotel, Steve and I reflected on our Thanksgiving experience. We decided that it was our own "Charlie Brown Thanksgiving." What had started out to be a lonely, strange holiday...turned into one of our favorite Thanksgivings ever thanks to some people with helping hands and big hearts! There was more love and Thanksgiving spirit in that little room we ate dinner in, than we have felt all season!

We will never forget this Thanksgiving-because it reminded us that Thanksgiving isn't as much about having the certain foods we always have, or eating it at the place we always do, as much as it is about a feeling of Thanksgiving for all we have and continue to be blessed with! We only hope that we can serve others with as much geniune love as we were served with this Thanksgiving!

Chillin in Indiana

That's right..Steve and I are literally "chillin" in Edinburgh Indiana. Yesterday we even had snow flurries! Steve had to come up here Sunday to work on a bunch of guys that just came back from Iraq and need a lot of dental work, xrays, and exams done. He will be working here for the next couple weeks, so I drove up yesterday to spend the rest of the time with him. It is fun being able to explore a new place (especially when the army is paying for our hotel room, & gas) So we are enjoying being able to spend time together in a new place! We are having fun going Christmas shopping and getting ready for the holidays! I can't wait! I love this time of year when we can reflect on the year...the good times, sad times, all the experiences we had, people we met, goals we accomplished. (or didn't accomplish!) and all the blessings we have! As I think about my life I realize how very blessed I am. Blessed to grow up in such a good, loving family with brothers and sisters that remain my closest friends and parents I can count on for anything, blessed to have good health, blessed to have found the best husband a girl could ever ask for, blessed to have so many good friends and people that care about me, and blessed to have the gospel in my life and to know that we go through life so that we can become stronger and better people. I am truly grateful for my life and to all those who add so much to it!!

Fall colors at Bernheim Forrest!

Steve and I went to Bernheim Forrest earlier this week and had a picnic while also enjoying the fall leaves! We had a fun time walking down "Yellow Tree Lane" and seeing all the bursts of color! It was beautiful! Here's some of our favorites. I love Kentucky in the Fall!

Who Dunnit??

Last Saturday night Steve and I went to a Murder Mystery Dinner put on by one of the Laurels in my ward. It was so much fun!! The theme was "The Murder of a Millionaire." Bascially, there was a story line that went something like this...there was a very wealthy man, Rick Rochester, who resided at his mansion, Mystery Manor and had been murdered at his home earlier that week. There were several people that were close to him and are therefore named as suspects in his murder. These people are all gathered together at the reading of his will but find out that no one will be rewarded any millions until his murderer is found out. We all had parts we were to dress up as and play throughout the evening. Steve went as Neal Werthers, the chauffeur for the Rochester family at Mystery Manor. His mother and father were also employed at Mystery Manor as the butler and the maid. I was Elizabeth Rochester, Rick's youngest daughter. I had always been well taken care of by my father's money and had plenty of nice things. I was somewhat spoiled and had a mean streak for stirring up trouble by always competing with my twin sister, Allison for everything. I had recently started dating the sexy chauffeur Neal, even against my father's wishes, but still expected to receive a nice sum of money at my father's will reading. The whole evening was spent talking with the other characters and trying to discover who was the murderer of Rick Rochester. As the evening went on, another murder was even committed, showing that the murderer was there and still out for the kill. When all was revealed, it was found that Neal Werther's was the murderer of both Rick Rochester as well as the maid at Mystery Manor, Josephine. It was such a fun night! Steve and I really got into it and even received awards at the end of the evening--Steve for best acting and I for best dressed. Thanks to April for such a great idea, good planning, a delicious dinner and a fun night of mystery! Don't worry...I'm watching my back...who knew I lived with a murderer?? :)

Happy Halloween!

Steve and I had a fun filled Halloween with pumpkin burgers, passing out candy to all the lil' goblins and lots of treats! If you can't tell....Steve was a crazy Dr. and I was an 80's girl! I had fun seeing all the little guys costumes and Steve enjoyed scaring a few of them! Hope everyone had a happy Halloween!